Wimbledon 2017 – the story of the championships

Here is a look at selected moments that stood out from the championships.

Saga of the championships

Andy Murray started the tournament with a hip injury (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Andy Murray’s hip

From Uri Geller urging newspaper readers to send positive energy by touching a picture of Murray, through to the moment the joint pain finally proved the Scot’s undoing in the quarter-finals, this was the soap opera of the championships. His every wince was analysed, and while Murray was adamant he was fit to play seven matches, it turned out that four and a half was his limit. It was painful to watch an incapacitated Murray being swatted out of the tournament by Sam Querrey, but be assured it hurt Murray more, physically and mentally. Now we have a new saga, of whether he will be fit for the US Open.

Row of the championships

Novak Djokovic complained about the condition of the grass on centre court (Adam Davy)/PA

Turf war

Grass was the battleground between the players and the sport’s administrators, with a host of top stars grumbling about the state of the courts after a sizzling first week of weather in south-west London. The blades around the baseline were trampled down almost to dust, more so than in previous years according to the disgruntled players, and Novak Djokovic complained after his fourth-round win over Adrian Mannarino that a hole had appeared on Centre Court. Some players felt the conditions were dangerous. Wimbledon said it was business as usual and that the courts were no different to previous years.

Wimbledon has for many years put more men’s matches than women’s matches on its two main show courts, Centre Court and Court One. This year disenchantment over that bias reached boiling point – especially when a match between top seed Angelique Kerber and eventual champion Garbine Muguruza was handed a Court Two slot. It was a clear stand-out on the schedule, and worthy of a bigger stage. Venus Williams said it might “be worth considering” putting more matches on the main show courts to allow for an equal split of men’s and women’s matches. But the All England Club chief executive Richard Lewis said: “It’s not about male or female, in the end it’s about which matches you feel the public and broadcasters want to see.” Same time, same controversy next year then.

Rafael Nadal was fancied by many to add the Wimbledon title to his 10th French Open triumph, and he played some dazzling tennis through the opening three rounds. The first set of his third-round match against Karen Khachanov was a 22-minute brutal assault masquerading as tennis. But then he came across a grass-court natural in Gilles Muller, a veteran left-handed Luxembourger who had beaten a ghost of Nadal’s Wimbledon past, Lukas Rosol, earlier in the tournament. And Muller refused to bow to Nadal, even as his early two-set lead was whittled away. It came down to a titanic decider, and Muller brilliantly came through 15-13, after a clash lasting 12 minutes short of five hours.

Quote of the championships

Sam Querrey explains the focus on Andy Murray before their quarter-final (Nic Bothma/POOL/PA)

“It seems like he’s the guy over here. If a bee stings him, everybody is going to know about it.” – Sam Querrey, ahead of his quarter-final win over Andy Murray, on the focus that falls on the Scot at Wimbledon.

Tweet of the championships

M. Cilic is the first ever Wimbledon finalist with a name entirely made up of Roman Numerals #Wimbledon

Rant of the championships

Australian Bernard Tomic was fined £11,000 for his comments after his defeat to Mischa Zverev (Alastair Grant/AP)

Bernard Tomic

The Australian talked himself into £11,000 worth of trouble – the size of his fine – after a first-round capitulation to Mischa Zverev. He admitted calling the trainer when he was not injured, in a strategic move to disrupt the match, and said he felt “bored out there”, adding: “I believe you have to respect the sport. But I think I don’t respect it enough.”

Upset of the championships

Czech Karolina Pliskova will become the new women’s world number one on Monday, but there was little heard of her during Wimbledon. That is due to the stunning second-round defeat she suffered at the hands of Magdalena Rybarikova, a Slovakian who just four months ago had slipped outside the top 400 after injury torment. Rybarikova won minor events in Surbiton and Ilkley before Wimbledon, but few expected the 28-year-old to take out a title favourite, nor then go all the way to the semi-finals.

Unsung heroes of the championships

All British Wimbledon champions, and these super-skilled wheelchair tennis wonders deserve huge acclaim. Their finals shifted from Court 17 to Court Three this year, and as Reid said following his doubles success with Hewett, Centre Court might beckon before long.

Picture of the championships

Roger Federer won the hearts of the Wimbledon crowds again with his stunning form, and an 11th run to the final. Here the crowd rises to acknowledge his semi-final win over Tomas Berdych, and he returns the salute.